Responses were all over the map. Some felt the session was marked by bipartisan efforts to make progress on major issues. Others felt too many key budget decisions were put off until the start of a short wrap-up session scheduled to begin April 25.

Approved before legislators left for their spring break was a measure that would give the state's nearly 22,000 civil service workers 2 percent salary increases.

But decisions are pending on dozens of other items, including a plan for dealing with a backlog of repairs on state university campuses, proposals for increased social services spending from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and aid for western Kansas to help it recover from winter storms.

"Part of the climate in the Legislature this year has been the willingness of the House leadership to let issues come to the forefront and be voted on, be discussed in committee," said House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls.

Neufeld became defensive when reporters questioned him about changes to membership of a special task force created to study the state's employee pay plan. A last-minute change reduced to three from five the number of appointments Neufeld can make to the 11-member panel.

"You're insinuating I'm a dictator and I don't believe in democracy," he said. "I'm not about political power. We're about getting things done."

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said the House speaker shouldn't take credit for bipartisanship in the House.

"I think we've had accomplishments this year because the Senate was able to work together in a bipartisan manner and the House was able to form a coalition without the House leadership," Hensley said.

"They found out they were able to do things without the House Republican leadership, which in my opinion, is the most lack of leadership I have seen in a long time."

Gambling

A bill that allowed expanded gambling in the form of destination casinos and slot machines became in many ways the monumental piece of law in the 2007 session. The bill allows casinos in Wyandotte County, Sedgwick or Sumner counties, Crawford or Cherokee counties and Ford County, in addition to 2,200 to 2,800 slot machines split between three parimutuel racetracks.

However, the debate on expanded gaming may not be entirely over.

There is interest among some legislators in removing Sumner County from the list of potential casino locations, leaving Sedgwick County as the only possible location of a casino in south-central Kansas. This "trailer bill" is expected to be considered during the wrap-up session.

Hensley said the measure would create a revenue-sharing program for the six counties surrounding Sedgwick County. The half-dozen counties would split 1 percent of revenues generated by the casino.

In addition, a series of technical adjustments need to be made to the gambling bill that passed the House and Senate but has yet to be signed by Sebelius.

Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, said he had no desire to reopen the debate on gambling.

"I don't think there's much interest in reliving that remarkable experience," he said.

Taxes, budget

Legislators approved 10 bills containing a package of tax cuts estimated to save businesses and individuals about $32 million during the next fiscal year and about $302 million cumulatively over the next five years.

The relief includes phasing out the state's business franchise tax, exempting some Social Security benefits from income taxes, increasing a tax credit for poor families and expanding a program that provides property tax relief for homeowners 55 and older.

Neufeld said he was pleased with the tax package. He said it should reduce the amount of heavy lifting legislators must do on the omnibus, catchall budget bill during the wrap-up session.

Despite complaints from Democrats to the contrary, the House speaker said most of the budget items deferred to the wrap-up were proposed spending increases recommended by the governor.

House Minority Leader Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg, disagreed.

McKinney said many budget items were left in limbo until the Legislature returns, which will make negotiations on the final spending bill more difficult.

"I don't think it's good planning to leave 200-plus items until the final appropriations bill," he said. "The sooner you start to get all the good ideas on the table and everybody engaged, the easier it is to reach better solutions."

Health care

Overall, leaders from both chambers were enthusiastic with legislation related to health policy. The House and Senate passed measures allowing the Kansas Health Policy Authority to take a more aggressive role in implementing statewide health care reform.

"There's some tough decisions to be made in the future, but to do nothing leaves us with a set of bad results," McKinney said.

Hensley said the 2007 Legislature has an obligation to complete a framework for extensive reform of Medicaid programs.

"The (gambling) trailer bill is not absolutely necessary," he said. "But health care is the remaining major issue we have to deal with."